Complete as many challenges as you can throughout the summer. A parent’s initials are required to prove that you completed each challenge.

*The points mean nothing, but the one who has the most in the end gets bragging rights (and maybe a small prize.)

Fun Places to Go

1. Plan and go on a camping trip with your family to Klondike Park or other local park. (25 points) ______2. Visit one of the many caves in Missouri. Visit www.cavern.com for more info. (25 points) ______​ ​ 3. Visit the St. Louis Art Museum (25 points) ______4. Visit the St. Louis Science Center. (25 points) ______5. Visit St. Louis Union Station. (25 points) ______6. Visit the . (25 points) ______7. Visit the National Blues Museum. (25 points) ______8. Visit the County Heritage Museum at Heritage Park. (25 points) ______9. Visit the St. Louis Zoo and check out the Monsanto Insectarium. (25 points) ______10. Visit Forest Park. (25 points) ______11. Visit Camp River Dubois, a Lewis & Clark Illinois State Historic Site in Hartford, Illinois. (25 points) ______12. Visit the National Great Rivers Museum in Alton, Illinois. (25 points) ______13. Walk or ride your bike over the Missouri River on Boone Bridge (opening this summer) or Page Bridge. (25 points) ______14. Visit Purina Farms in Grey Summit, MO (25 points) ______15. Visit the City Garden in St. Louis. (25 points) ______16. Visit Mounds in Illinois. (25 points) ______17. Check out some unique motorcycles at the Moto Museum. (25 points) ______18. Take a tour of the Chocolate Chocolate Chocolate Company Factory in St. Louis. (25 points) ______19. Take a tour of the Anheuser-Busch brewery. (25 points) ______20. Visit the Soulard Farmer’s Market (25 points) ______21. Walk around Ballpark Village. (25 points) ______22. Walk the entire solar system at the Delmar Loop Planet Walk (www.loopplanetwalk.com) (25 points) ______​ ​ 23. Go to the Magic House (free every third Friday evening of the month from 5:30-9:00 pm) (25 points) ______24. Find the T.S. Eliot birthplace plaque located somewhere in St. Louis. (50 points) ______25. Climb the stairs to the top of Fort Bellefontaine. (50 points) ______26. Take a backstage tour of the (Tuesday, Thursday, or Saturday morning at 10:30.) (25 points) ______27. Visit the Cathedral Basilica near the arch. (25 points) ______28. Visit the Missouri Botanical Garden (free on Wednesday and Saturday before noon) (25 points) _____ 29. Visit the Old Courthouse in St. Louis. (25 points) ______30. Take a picture with the Stan Musial statue. (25 points) ______31. Visit the St. Louis Walk of Fame. (25 points) ______32. Visit the . (25 points) ______33. Visit Fitz’s and witness their vintage 1950’s soda bottling equipment in action. (25 points) ______34. Visit the National Horseshoe Pitchers Hall of Fame in Wentzville. (25 points) ______35. Check out a local flea market. (25 points) ______36. See a show at . Sit in the free seats if you don’t have tickets. Go see Little Mermaid (starring Brynley Wall in the Kid’s Chorus) on ​ ​ June 20-29! (25 points) ______37. Go to Ted Drewes and enjoy delicious frozen custard. (25 points) ______38. Go to Gus’ Pretzels and enjoy a delicious pretzel. Come before noon to watch them twist the pretzels. (25 points) ______39. Visit one of the museums at Jefferson Barracks. (25 points) ______40. Visit the World Bird Sanctuary (25 points) ______41. Visit Lone Elk Park (25 points) ______42. Go creek stomping. Indian Camp Creek Park in Foristell, MO is Mr. Ensrude’s favorite. (25 points) 43. Get a taste of life on the farm at Suson Park in South County. (25 points) ______44. Go to . (www.laumeiersculpturepark.org) (25 points) ______​ ​ 45. Go across a river via a river ferry boat (Grafton, IL is the closest ferry). (25 points) ______46. Go for a bike ride on the Katy Trail. (25 points) ______47. Go on a hike at a Missouri State Park (Castlewood in Ballwin or Babler in Wildwood). (25 points) ______48. Plan a weekend road trip (within 100 miles) for you and your family. Using the internet or a map find at least 4 interesting, unique, or weird places or restaurants to stop on the way (example: Where Pigs Fly Camp (Pig Museum) in Linn, MO)) (50 points) ______49. Plan and go on a canoeing/rafting/float trip. (25 points) ______

Things to Do

1. Create a scrapbook, photo album, PowerPoint, or slideshow set to music with pictures (or other items) of all the things you completed from Mr. Ensrude’s Summer Challenge and bring it to school next year. (150 points) ______2. Go to the library (and check out some books) in the month of June. (25 points) ______3. Go to the library (and check out some books) in the month of July. (25 points) ______4. Go to the library (and check out some books) in the month of August. (25 points) ______5. Make breakfast for your entire family. Something other than cereal! ☺ (25 points) ______​ ​ 6. Bake a cake, cookies, or brownies from scratch (not out of a box). (25 points) ______7. Make homemade ice cream. (25 points) ______8. Attend a free kid’s workshop at Home Depot. (First Saturday morning of the month.) (25 points) ______9. Grow something from a seed. It could be a flower, fruit, vegetable, tree, etc (25 points) ______… th 10. High five any former Messiah 5 ​ grader when you see them somewhere off school/church grounds. (5 points) ______​ 11. Have a lemonade stand/garage sale and donate the profits to a charity. (25 points) ______12. Mail a letter or postcard to someone who would not expect it. (Grandparent, cousin, old friend, etc ) (50 points) ______… 13. Find a geocache. (Check out www.geocaching.com for more information.) (25 points) ______​ ​ 14. Pack a picnic lunch for you and your family and eat it at a park. (25 points) ______15. Play with/babysit a child under the age of 4 (could be a younger sibling, neighbor, cousin, niece, nephew, etc.) for one hour free of charge. You must play the activities of their choice. No electronics or TV. (25 points) ______16. Wear a cowboy hat or sombrero for an entire week (yes, even in public.) (25 points) ______17. Plan a family game night for one night a week for 4 weeks. (50 points) ______18. Learn to deal and play Solitaire (with a real deck of cards). (25 points) ______19. Donate some of your unused toys or clothes. (25 points) ______20. Sign up for Kids Bowl Free Program and get 2 free games per day for the entire summer at participating bowling alleys. (www.kidsbowlfree.com) (25 points) ______​ ​ 21. Give a garbage collector or mail carrier a cold beverage while they are picking up your trash or dropping off your mail. (25 points) _____ 22. Make cookies for a neighbor. (25 points) ______23. Make treats and deliver them to a local fire department. (25 points) _____

Physical Challenges

1. Do 700 curl-ups in one week. (Do a few each day.) (50 points) ______2. Do 300 push-ups in one week. (Do a few each day.) (50 points) ______3. Create a daily stretching routine and do it every day for a month. (See if your flexibility improves.) (25 points) ______4. Swim 100 laps (down and back) at a regulation pool over the course of the summer. (25 points) ______5. Walk/run 20 miles in a month. (20 minutes of brisk walking equals about 1 mile.) (50 points) ______6. Plank for 1 minute each day for a week. (25 points) ______7. Wall sit for 1 minute each day for a week. (25 points) ______8. Drink 5 cups (8 oz each) of water a day for one week. (Not all at once.) (25 points) ______9. Eat 3 servings of fruit a day for one week. (25 points) ______10. Eat 3 servings of vegetables a day for one week. (25 points) ______

Mental Challenges

1. Read 1 chapter from Proverbs, 5 Psalms, and 1 Gospel story every day for one month. (Example: If it is June 1 you would read Proverbs 1, Psalms 1-5, and pick one story from Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John.) (750 points) ______2. Complete the summer reading program at the St. Charles County Library. (50 points) ______3. Complete the Barnes and Noble Summer Reading Program between May 16-September 5. (50 points) ______4. Complete the Missouri Botanical Garden summer reading program (Tales and Trails). (50 points) 5. Learn to count to 10 in German. (25 points) ______6. Learn to count to 10 in French. (25 points) ______7. Learn to count to 10 in Swahili. (25 points) ______Be ready to say them to Mr. Ensrude if he asks! 8. Learn to count to 10 in Japanese. (25 points) ______9. Learn to count to 10 in Chinese. (25 points) ______10. Learn to count to 10 in Korean. (25 points) ______11. Memorize the Preamble of the U.S. Constitution and recite it to an adult. (100 points) ______12. Memorize the Gettysburg Address and recite it to an adult. (0nly getting help 3 times) (500 points)_____ 13. Make your bed every day for an entire month. (50 points) ______14. Do a 1,000 piece puzzle. (50 points) ______15. Do a 500 piece puzzle. (25 points) ______16. Go without TV for one week. (100 points) ______17. Go without video games/iPod/iPad/Kindle/electronic device for one week (100 points) ______18. Go without TV for one month (500 points) ______19. Go without video games/iPod/iPad/Kindle/electronic device for one month (500 points) ______

Competitions

1. Enter the St. Charles County Library Summer Photo Contest. Go to www.youranswerplace.org. (50 points) ______​ ​ 2. Enter a 5K race/walk. (50 points) ______3. Participate in the Wentzville Parks - Superhero Hustle: A one mile fun run full of 7 crazy obstacles. You will get muddy! (100 points) _____ Events

1. Go to church 12 times over the summer. (25 points each Sunday) ______5/28 6/4 6/11 6/18 6/25 7/2 7/9 7/16 7/23 7/30 8/6 8/13 2. Attend a free “Concert in the Park”. (25 points) ______Dardenne Prairie: June 17, July 15, August 19 Lake St. Louis: June 24, July 8, July 29, August 12 O’Fallon (Civic Park): June 13, June 20, June 27, July 3-4, July 11, July 18,July 25, August 1 , August 8, August 15 (they have Food Trucks too) Streets of St. Charles: June 14, July 12, August 9 th Missouri Botanical Garden: Every Wednesday between Memorial Day – July 29 .​ (Free after 5:00 pm) ​ 3. Attend a free “Movie in the Park”. (25 points) ______St. Charles Community College (Food Truck Frolic): June 23, July 21 Lake St. Louis Boulevard Park: June 16, July 14, August 11 Dardenne Prairie: July 15 4. Attend a Food Truck Event. (25 points) ______St. Charles Community College Food Truck Frolic: June 23, July 21 Frontier Park on June 20 or August 15 from 5-8 O’fallon Sports Park on August 4 from 5:30-8:30 5. Attend VBS on June 12-16. (50 points) ______nd th 6. Attend Fair St. Louis on July 2 -4​ .​ (www.fairstlouis.org) (25 points) _____ ​ ​ ​ ​ 7. Attend a Lake St. Louis Waterski Team Show (www.lslski.com) (25 points) _____ ​ ​ 8. Participate in the World’s Largest Swimming Lesson on June 22. (www.wentzvillemo.org) (25 points) _____ ​ ​ 9. Participate or watch the Cardboard Boat Race at Alligator Creek in O’Fallon on July 23 (25 points) _____ th 10. Mail Mr. Ensrude a birthday card on July 27 .​ (12 Bell Tower Court, Saint Charles, MO 63304) (50 Points) ______​ 11. Sleep in your backyard under the stars with no tent for one night. (The Perseids Meteor Shower happens around August 12-13 and the Delta Aquarids Meteor Shower will happen around July 27-28.) (50 points) ______12. Attend a demolition derby. (50 points) ______13. Attend a tractor/truck pull. (50 points) ______

Total Points:______Parent Signature:______

I promise that I completed all the tasks totaling the point value above, so help me God. Forever and ever, Amen.

______(Student Signature) (Date)

Book Recommendations Here is a small selection of books that Mr. Ensrude has read or would like to read. They range from chapter books to graphic novels. Everyone should be able to find something they enjoy. Read as many as you can and let me know what you think of them! Give them a rank of 1-5 with 1 being “excellent” and 5 being “terrible”. Please note that I have not th ​ read all of these books! Some may be better for readers below or above 5 ​ grade! ​ Humor _____Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer By Kelly Jones ​ _____ El Deafo By Cece Bell ​ _____ The Terrible Two By Jory John and Mac Barnett ​ _____The Strange Case of Origami Yoda series By Tom Angleburger _____Frank Einstein and the Electro-Finger By Jon Scieszka ​ _____ Diary of a Sixth Grade Ninja By Marcus Emerson ​ _____ Dragons at Crumbling Castle By Terry Pratchett ​ _____Unicorn on a Roll by Dana Simpson ​ ​ _____Worst Class Trip Ever by Dave Barry ​ ​ _____In a Glass Grimmly by Gidwitz ​ ​ _____A Whole Nother Story by Cuthbert Soup ​ ​ _____I Funny series by James Patterson ​ ​

Historical Fiction _____The WAR that Saved my Life By Kimberly Brubaker Bradley ​ _____In the Footsteps of Crazy Horse By Joseph Marshall III ​ ​ _____Wonderstruck By Brian Selznick ​ ​ _____Mark of the Thief by Jennifer A. Nielsen _____Midnight Tunnel: A Suzanne Snow Mystery by Angie Frazier _____Gladiator School series by Dan Scott ​ ​ _____Gone Crazy in Alabama by Rita Williams ​ ​ _____The Detective’s Assistant by Kate Hannigan ​ ​ _____I Survived series Lauren Tarshis ​ ​ _____Finding My Place by Margo L. Dill ​ ​

Fantasy & Magic ____ Any of the Harry Potter Books ​ ​ _____Circus Mirandus By Cassie Beasley ​ _____Ratscalibur By Josh Lieb ​ _____Nightbird By Alice Hoffman ​ _____Odd and the Frost Giants by Neil Gaiman ​ ​ _____Zombiekins By Kevin Bolger ​ ​ _____Robot Dreams By Sara Varon ​ ​ _____Pip Bartlett’s Guide to Magical Creatures By Jackson Pearce and Maggie Stiefvater ​ _____The Lost Track of Time By Paige Britt ​ _____The Green Ember By S.D. Smith ​ ​ _____Petlandia By Peter Hannan ​ _____Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard By Rick Riordan ​ ​ _____The Menagerie (Books1-3) by Tui T. Sutherland and Kari Sutherland ​ ​ _____Harry Potter (Books 1-7) by J.K. Rowling ​ ​ _____Skulduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy ​ ​ _____The Island of Dr. Libris By Chris Grabenstein ​ _____The Alchemyst By Michael Scott ​ ​ _____Echo By Pam Muñoz Ryan ​ _____Inkheart By Cornelia Funke ​ _____The Invention of Hugo Cabret By Brian Selznick ​ ​ _____Smashie McPerter and the Mystery of Room 11 By N. Griffin, ​ _____Bayou Magic By Jewell Parker Rhodes ​ _____The Mysterious Benedict Society By Trenton Lee Stewart ​ ​ _____Animas: Legacy of the Claw by C.R. Grey ​ ​ _____Circus Mirandus by Cassie Beasley ​ ​ _____Amulet (Graphic Novel) by Kazu Kibuishi ​ ​ _____Artemis Fowl (Novel or Graphic Novel) by Eoin Colfer ​ ​ _____The Water and the Wild By K.E. Ormsbee ​ ​ _____Percy Jackson and the Olympians series by Rick Riordan _____Starcatchers series by Dave Barry ​ ​ _____The Cloak Society by Jeramy Kraatz ​ ​ _____Baker’s Magic by Diane Zahler ​ ​ _____Thrones of Bones: Frostborn by Lou Andres ​ ​ _____Emily Windsnap series by Liz Kessler ​ ​ _____Wings of Fire series by Tui T. Sutherland ​ ​

Sci Fi _____ The Sasquatch Escape (Book 1 of the Imaginary Veterinary Series) by Suzanne Selfors _____Fuzzy Mud By Louis Sachar ​ ​ _____Six: A Devastating Call. An Impossible Journey. And No Turning Back. By M.M. Vaughan ​ ​ _____The Phantom Tollbooth By Norton Juster ​ ​ _____Secret Coders: Get with the Program (Graphic Novel) by Gene Luen Yang ​ ​ _____The Last Dogs: The Vanishing by Christopher Holt ​ ​ _____Hyperspace High: Crash Landing by Zac Harrison ​ ​ _____The Name of this Book is Secret (The Secret Series) by Pseudonymous Bosch ​ ​ Adventure _____NERDS By Michael Buckley ​ ​ _____The Outcasts: Brotherband Chronicles by John Flanagan ​ ​ _____Shark Bait (Extreme Adventure series) by Justin D’Ath ​ ​ _____Last of the Sandwalkers By Jay Hosler ​ _____Urban Outlaws by Peter Jay Black ​ ​ _____The Underneath By Kathi Appelt ​ ​ _____H.I.V.E. by Wark Walden _____The Kingdom Keepers series by Ridley Pearson ​ ​ _____Mrs.Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O’Brien ​ ​ _____Keeper of the Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger ​ ​ _____The Genius Files: Mission Unstoppable by Dan Gutman ​ ​ _____The Storm Makers by Jennifer E. Smith ​ ​ Nonfiction _____Emmanuel’s Dream: The True Story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah By Laurie Ann Thompson ​ _____Gingerbread for Liberty!: How a German Baker Helped Win the American Revolution By Mara Rockliff ​ _____Growing up Pedro By Matt Tavares ​ _____Why’d They Wear That?: Fashion As the Mirror of History By Sarah Albee ​ _____The Founding Fathers!: The Horse-Ridin’, Fiddle-Playin’, Book-Readin’, Gun-Totin’ Gentlemen Who Started America By Jonah Winter ​ _____I Will Always Write Back: How One Letter Changed Two Lives By Caitlin Alifirenka and Martin Ganda ​ _____Who was… series by various authors ​ ​ Realistic Fiction _____Cassidy’s Guide to Everyday Etiquette (and Obfuscation) By Sue Stauffacher ​ _____A Handful of Stars By Cynthia Lord ​ _____The Penderwicks in Spring By Jeanne Birdsall ​ _____Listen, Slowly By Thanhhà Lai ​ _____Gone Crazy in Alabama By Rita Williams-Garcia ​ _____Dear Hank Williams By Kimberly Willis Holt ​ _____The Pirates of Crocodile Swamp By Jim Arnosky ​ ​ _____The Way Home Looks Now By Wendy Wan-Long Shang ​ _____Fish in a Tree By Linda Mullaly Hunt ​ _____Lost in the Sun By Lisa Graff ​ _____The One and Only Ivan By Katherine Applegate ​ ​ _____Roller Girl (Graphic Novel) By Victoria Jamieson ​ ​ _____The Same Stuff as Stars By Katherine Paterson ​ ​ _____Smile (Graphic Novel) by Raina Telgemeier ​ ​ _____Cornelia and the Audacious Escapades of the Somerset Sisters by Lesley M.M. Blume ​ ​ _____All Four Stars by Tara Daiman ​ ​ _____Liberty Porter, First Daughter by Julia DeVillers ​ ​ _____The Absolute Value of Mike by Kathryn Erskine ​ ​ _____Honey By Sarah Weeks ​ _____Diary of a Sixth Grade Ninja by Marcus Emerson ​ ​ _____The Classroom: Trick Out My School by Robing Mellow ​ ​ _____Crenshaw by Katherine Applegate ​ ​ _____The Seventh Most Important Thing by Shelley Pearsall ​ ​ _____Kate Walden Directs Night of the Zombie Chickens by Julia Mata ​ ​ _____Awkward (Graphic Novel) by Svetlana Chmakova ​ ​ _____Confectionately Yours series by Lisa Papademetriou ​ ​

Sports _____Tangerine By Edward Bloor ​ ​ _____The Prince of Fenway Park by Julianna Baggott ​ ​

Mystery _____Eddie Red: Undercover Mystery in Mayan Mexico By Marcia Wells ​ ​ _____The Curious Cat Spy Club By Linda Joy Singleton ​ th ​ _____Warren the 13 ​ and The All-Seeing Eye By Tania Del Rio ​ ​ ​ _____Book Scavenger By Jennifer Chambliss Bertman ​ _____William & the Missing Masterpiece By Helen Hancocks ​ _____The Sweetest Heist in History By Octavia Spencer ​ _____Pieces and Players By Blue Balliett ​ _____Loot by Jude Watson ​ ​ _____P.K. Pinkerton and the Petrified Man by Carolinen Lawerence ​ ​ _____The Water Castle by Megan Frazer ​ ​ _____39 Clues series by various authors ​ ​ _____The Magnificent Lizzie Brown and the Ghost Ship by Vicki Lockwood ​ ​